Springing forward

March has been a big step forward. After a disrupted winter, things have finally started to click, both in training and on the track. Consistency is returning, the legs are responding, and most importantly, I’m enjoying racing and training again. It’s amazing what a new bike and a bit of sun can do for your mood.

BUCS has now become a key target for me, especially coming so soon after the National Track Championships. Last year I carried great form into the event; this year I was hoping the form would start to come. The first weekend in March has become a clear marker of where things are heading.

Friday started strongly, although somewhat haphazardly. Track programmes are always subject to change, but this one was particularly chaotic. After about three minutes of warm-up, I was called trackside for my first race, the Kilo. It’s not an event I’ve raced much since youth omniums. My previous best was a 1:06 at the Olympic Velodrome, and in the few attempts since, I hadn’t got close. Expectations were low, so I went up thinking I’d just see what happened. What happened was a new personal best of 1:05.2. I was delighted,  although not quite enough for gold, as my teammate Joe Truman, European Kilo Champion, put down a 1:02. That definitely softened the blow.

Saturday built on that momentum. First up was the Team Pursuit qualifier. The team that won last year returned, with Tom Adby stepping in for Kieran Riley alongside Bo Mayer, Josh Knowles and myself. We rode a controlled 4:15, enough to comfortably set up a final against last year’s silver medallists and our arch rivals, Nottingham.

Next came the Elimination Race. At university level, these can be unpredictable, so I chose to stay towards the front and control what I could. Rider by rider, the field thinned out safely until it came down to Loughborough versus Nottingham once again. This time against Ed Charles, a former teammate. I let him lead, then came underneath, committed fully, and took the win, one step up from silver last year.

Back to the Team Pursuit final, and things got a bit more complicated. A late rider change saw Joe Truman initially come in for Bo Mayer, but Nottingham protested. What followed was a long delay on track while officials worked through it. Eventually, Bo was reinstated with no warm-up, Joe stepped down, and we rolled off.

Something clicked. The delay, the frustration, it all translated into the ride. Bo committed early and pulled after a kilo effort, Josh Knowles drove the pace, and the intensity just lifted. When it came to my turn, it was a case of committing fully and holding it together. We crossed the line with Nottingham still in sight and a new BUCS record of 4:08.2. Absolute scenes, a proper team performance. Amazing atmosphere. We were buzzing.

Sunday came and I was still riding that high. The Points Race remained, and I had a point to prove. Over 60 laps with sprints every 10, the race developed steadily. I stayed patient early, letting the first points go while Tom picked up strongly. I collected a few points through the middle phase as the race began to break apart. Five riders took a lap, changing the dynamic completely.

I moved with James Satoor to take a lap back and bring us level. With around 15 laps to go, we eased slightly to target the next sprint before committing fully to the lap gain. Then Ben Marsh, newly crowned British Champion, attacked. It was left to me to respond. I chased, closed the gap, and came through to take second on the line, enough to secure the overall win. Third gold of the weekend.

More importantly, the weekend reinforced what a block of consistent training and race momentum can deliver. After the challenges of winter, this felt like a genuine turning point.

With a new bike ready to go, I lined up at the March Hare Classic at Lee Valley,  my first criterium in a while. Conditions brought strong winds this year, and a solid field lined up for 90 minutes of corners and headwind. The bike felt great; the legs were less convincing. Frank Longstaff, my track teammate, made an early move that stuck, and despite a couple of attempts, I couldn’t bridge across. In the end, I sat in, used it as a solid training effort, and finished in the bunch.

The next day it was straight back to the velodrome for the London Futures Omnium. Huge credit to Dan at LYTL for putting on a UCI race and an omnium format,  something we don’t get many opportunities to race. These events are massively valuable.

The opening scratch race was tough, especially with the early start and the previous day’s effort still in the legs. I decided to simplify things by going to the front and riding my own pace. It nearly paid off,  caught right on the line by Red Walters, but second place was a strong start, and not something I usually say in an omnium.

The tempo race was steady, not my best, not my worst. I didn’t score but came away in 6th, holding 3rd overall. The elimination followed, and the BUCS form carried through. I made the final selection and, with a decisive last effort, took the win. A quick thank you to James Ambrose-Parish here, who let me out when I was boxed in with five riders left, that made the difference.

That put me back into second overall going into the final points race, 100 laps, and very different to BUCS. No one was getting away, so it came down to sprinting every 10 laps, with the final sprint carrying the most weight. With seven laps to go, I launched a big move and took maximum points, securing the podium. I finished third overall, with Red Walters taking the win and Ryan Oldfield moving into second.

Given the winter I’ve had, I was genuinely pleased, on the podium, racing well, and most importantly, enjoying it again.

As always, massive thanks to Matt’s Auto Repairs for their continued support, along with BCC Elite and One Life Cycle.

Roll on spring.